One hundred former presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers have urged the Group of Seven rich nations to pay for global coronavirus vaccinations to help stop the virus mutating and returning as a worldwide threat.

In their letter to the G7, the former world leaders said global cooperation had failed in 2020, but that 2021 could usher in a new era.

The letter said, the support from the G7 and G20 that makes vaccines readily accessible to low- and middle-income countries is not an act of charity, but rather is in every country's strategic interest.